Air India to expand network, hire new pilots: Ajit Singh

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NEW DELHI: Air India is going to hire about 100 pilots, majority of whom would be co-pilots in place of the 400-odd pilots of erstwhile AI who have been on strike for a month now. Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday made it clear that the "strike is over for us as the striking pilots have refused accept the Dharmadhikari committee report, which is part of the airline's turnaround plan and I don't think there is any point in their coming back."

In fact, the minister said that Air India is now going to expand its network by hiring new pilots and completing the training of the 90 trainees it already has. "If the terminated pilots (AI has so far sacked 101 pilots) want to come back, they will have to apply afresh once the airline advertises," he said.

About 400 members of the now-derecognized Indian Pilots' Guild (IPG) have been on strike since May 7 over the issue of pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines being allowed to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, something they fear would affect the career progession of Air India pilots. The IPG pilots took out silent protest march in Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday.

"Our stand is that the strike is illegal. The high court has also said it. They also did not give notice (for the strike)... They (pilots who have not been sacked) are still welcome if they want to come back, but there should be no pre-condition," Singh said.

Treating the ongoing strike as a closed chapter, the airline is now planning to expand services. Three Boeing 787 Dreamliners are expected to join AI fleet this month and the airline has worked out the new plan. Singh said Air India would launch flights to Kuala Lumpur and London and resume operations to Hong Kong, Osaka and Seoul by August 1.

"For the initial six to eight weeks, the first Boeing 787 will be used on domestic routes to enable trainees to practice landings and take-offs. The first long-haul flight of the aircraft will be in August between Mumbai and London and Australia operations will commence in August-September," Singh said. However, the delivery of this new aircraft hinges on Air India and Boeing agreeing on a compensation package for the over three-year delay in getting the Dreamliner.